BMO Global Asset Management (‘BMO GAM’), today announces that it has strengthened its Responsible Investment team with the appointment of Karlijn Van Lierop as Director Responsible Investment Product Specialist, based in Amsterdam.
Karlijn joins the business in January 2022 with a wealth of experience, having spent nearly a decade at MN where she was heading the responsible investment team and responsible for building and developing all ESG and climate strategies.
In her new position, Karlijn will work closely with the client management team in the Netherlands to build and extend reo® clients, while working closely with the team in London to develop innovative new solutions for clients. Karlijn will report to Claudia Wearmouth, co-head of BMO GAM’s Responsible Investment team.
BMO GAM’s Responsible Engagement Overlay service (‘reo®’) was launched in 2000 and now manages £356 billion of clients’ assets. This unique service provides clients with access to a full suite of stewardship expertise including research, (climate) screening, engagement and proxy voting. It also allows clients to enjoy greater influence to effect positive change by pooling assets to create one single, powerful voice.
Commenting on the appointment, Claudia Wearmouth, co-head of the Responsible Investment team at BMO Global Asset Management, said: ”The appointment of Karlijn demonstrates our commitment in the Netherlands, our focus on providing best in class client service and our continued investment into our highly respected reo® service. We are delighted to welcome Karlijn to our team.”
Karlijn Van Lierop said: “I am looking forward to joining BMO GAM and to working with the client management team in Amsterdam. The market in the Netherlands is already highly advanced when it comes to ESG integration and continues to innovate at pace. We will see continued demand for ESG overlay products and I’m excited to be joining BMO GAM to further build the business and reo® offer for clients locally.”
BMO GAM also announced the appointment of Isabelle Meyer in October 2021 as the German Responsible Investment Product Specialist, based in London. She joined BMO GAM from Insight Investment Management where she has worked since 2012 and has been an ESG Fixed Income Investment Specialist since 2016.
BMO GAM’s heritage and commitment to responsible investment runs deep. Since launching Europe’s first ethically screened fund over 35 years ago, BMO GAM has taken a responsible approach to investment. Environmental, social or governance (‘ESG’) risks are integrated into BMO GAM’s investment process, across all asset classes, helping determine how the investments it makes for its clients have an impact on ESG factors and what actions it can take to mitigate any negative impact.
As an active investor, BMO GAM contributes to public policy development and engage with companies on ESG matters. It expresses its views and perspectives through voting and thought leadership as well as working to ensure that ESG analysis is integrated across our broader investment processes.
